VanaN'Ice: ParaNorm Smile Joker
by Sydney Grise
Summary: Music, boys, and fun. That is VanaN'Ice, a band of three unique individuals. Now, when given a task to protect a teal-haired girl from a certain "Joker", the three takes the job on. Unless, this one is actually an organization. Rated for some "situations"
1. Start with an Ouch

**VanaN'Ice: ParaNorm Smile "Joker"**

Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid. Just the story.

A/N: This is my first try with making a Vocaloid fic. This is one of the two fics which are actually two versions of a certain idea. This is version one. I hope you enjoy this piece of work.

**Case 1: Start with an Ouch**

Footsteps.

The clapping of soles on streets echo in time with the chiming hiss of the rain. Its characteristic muffling would coat the sound of everything else in town.

Heavy gasps.

Her breath left her lips like steam from chimneys and vents. The cold air and the droplets pouring from the sky didn't make her care about her dress or its status, in which she is already in a drenched mess. Her long, aquamarine pigtails are also in that similar state though it swung in motion with her. This only masked the situation.

She was fleeing. Running away from whatever loomed a good distance behind her. Not wanting nor needing to look back, she had one thing resolved in her mind. Don't stop.

* * *

_Sin, marking the taint in the displacement of flaws. These symbols of error need correction. Everything must come to place.

* * *

_

The empty avenue had only a few things to show; a fence on the very end, a pair of lamps on the top, a set of ladders for the fire escape and some doors. As much as there is a long path to get to, it would take a while to get across the fence.

Stepping out from one of the doors was a man dressed for the rain. A black trench coat covered his shirt and trousers, sheltering it from those drops his umbrella would miss. His cobalt-shaded hair would be a strange contrast to his outfit, not something of his choosing. With the door closing behind him, he began to walk on out of the avenue and towards the main street. Being out on a gloomy day has its ups and downs. For his case, it would be the idea of watching how it falls on the streets and the part where there would be a few walking under this weather. The only thing he hates is when it pours badly. Today is somewhere in the middle.

"Time I get those groceries for the place." He muttered in a sigh as he approached the portion where the main traffic would be. It was his turn with the chore. "Kamui-san's on duty and Len's asleep. Now I have to get those chores done and cover for Len as well."

As he turned to his left, he didn't have a chance to react as something collided on him. The force of it threw him down on the pavement.

The umbrella ended up on the ground like a dish. The young man, trying to get his bearings, found himself soaked...and pinned.

"Eh? What the hell...?" he winced as he planted his hands on the ground to prop himself up.

Resting on his chest was this young woman, her long pigtails pooling down on the wet pavement with strands flayed aside. With how she is placed on top of him, he found this a little too...suggestive. Brushing the thought aside, he tried to talk to her.

"Miss, are you okay?" he asked her. She didn't respond. He tried to shake her with his hands. "Miss, hey..."

No answer.

She's unconscious. He can't believe this was happening to him. He can't leave her like this, not wanting to know what would happen to her if he did. Having no other choice, he picked her up and walked back to his place.

"I can't believe I'll be sidetracked."

* * *

"Kaito-san, you're back so soon," the boy muttered without looking at the door as it creaked open. He just got out of his room after a nap, rubbing his short blond hair with his fingers. He was dressed in his white T-shirt and denim shorts reaching his knees, the very clothes he had slept with due to not bothering himself to change out of. Turning to look at him, he ended up with his mouth gaping. "What the hell is this, Kaito-san?"

"Sorry about this, Len." The blue-haired youth laughed sheepishly with his answer. "I can explain."

"Suuuuuuure." Len answered sarcastically while squinting his eyes, "You being wet with a girl in tow? That explains everything..."

Kaito continued walking towards one of the rooms and looked at the boy. "Get some towels and a change of clothes she can use...And prepare something to warm her up."

"So, avoiding the question by ordering me around, eh?" Len snickered as he shook his head. "Use your stuff. You're in your room."

Len walked on towards the kitchen, checking the pantry for ingredients to work with. By now, Kaito is working on finding a change of clothes. Most likely, he's changing her out of those wet pieces of clothing. Wait a second, Kaito inside a room with an unconscious girl? A blush ran to his cheeks when he realized the situation. He can't help but shake his head at the thought.

"Out of the gutter, Len." He muttered to himself as he started stirring the saucepan.

* * *

Splashes.

Swift, crisp, clear and unyielding under the shower of the rain… The puddles ripple from the steps made, its waves being hidden by the relentless pouring. Black figures stood under the gloomy weather, their white masks marked with sinister grins as the only expression made. Around ten in number, they began to take action as three of them stepped forward. They raised their arms, slick black matter shaping into sharp slivers as they darted out towards the incoming attacker.

Nimble steps were followed with more splashes as he moved off to a zigzag, dodging every sharp piece while keeping his aim. His eyes were locked on the one at the center. His white Jinbaori fluttered to the speed of his stride, despite the rain. Clasping the scabbard of his katana, he charged for the offense. The trio began to fire another salvo of those black darts at him. Their aim was true, their shots offering no chance for escape as it came in a spread. The purple-haired warrior had no choice. Black slivers met the white figure...

Hitting only a mirage and the raindrops that curtained the surroundings.

Without warning, the warrior appeared before the black figure in the middle of the trio in a close distance. He drew his blade quickly and slashed the enemy twice in such speed and finesse only silver flashes were seen. The masked head and the chest were severed as these fell to the pavement. The other nine began to shift the shape of their arms, turning them into sharp blades. The fight was escalating.

"This is going to take a while to clean up." He whispered as he rushed towards the nearest target on his left. The figure crisscrossed its arms and slashed downward, forming an X. Right at that very moment; he surprised his enemy by jumping. Twirling in the air, the warrior prepared himself in his descent as he landed a downward slash. It swiped cleanly against the black figure, cutting it in half.

The other shades began to rush towards him, three of them closing in on him faster than the rest. The purple-haired warrior dashed towards the one on his left and slashed upward diagonally, landing the blow cleanly as it brought a black fount of smoke to leave the wide cut. He then dashed towards the nearest target, striking with a horizontal slash on its abdomen. Two more down on the list, making it four defeated. It's going well so far.

The remaining six didn't relent as they charged at him in all directions. The one on his right side swung his limb in a slash towards the shoulder. The warrior angled his blade and parried, initiating a quick push while making a crescent cut. The strike took away the arms and the left leg, the being falling to the ground in its dying state. One of the assailants was behind him, ready to attack. Sensing it somehow with peripheral vision, he flipped his katana and made a thrust backward. He caught the assailant squarely by the center of his body. With the other three charging in all at once, he prepared his spirit in initiating this very blow.

The three shades launched themselves towards the lone warrior. In a swift moment, the swordsman pulled his katana from his previous opponent and made a pivot. The katana ran in a fluid motion with his turning, its blade gleaming with a faint purple afterglow, as it sliced through the three bodies in a single motion. The warrior didn't need to face them, knowing its aftermath soon after. Easing up as he stood, he brought his blade to its upright position.

"It is finished." He whispered as he swung the katana downward, ridding any stain on his blade with a fluid sweep before sheathing it. The job for today is over. This was his only thought as he left the vicinity.

* * *

_Time will not mend every scar we inflicted. Thus, we have given ourselves to bring our efforts in setting things back into order.

* * *

_

_"Commander Kasane, area has been cleared."_

Red locks of hair glisten before the glow of the computer screen, eyes shielded by a pair of wire-framed glasses. He stared at the display, a satisfied smile making its curve on his lips.

"I see. Good work, Agent Kamui."

_"Then I suppose I'm cleared to head off?"_

"Not necessarily." He tapped his fingers on the surface of the table. "There is a job request for you three. Come by the headquarters, Miss Yowane will be the one giving you the disk with the information and details you need for this particular mission."

_"Very well, sir. I'll come as directed."_

With a press of a key, the call was terminated. Letting his chair turn around, he gazed out through the window of his spacious office(which is more of a glass panel). The rain kept on pouring, somehow a bit stronger than it was earlier. Ever since the Agency started, there had been more job requests flowing in while lacking the number of agents to accomplish the task. So far, the trio led by Kamui seemed to have done a lot of missions with remarkable performance. This was his A-Team, his best.

A simple request won't be that hard to handle.

_If it was that simple, I would've given it to the other agents. _He thought to himself as he watched the city skyline light up for the gloomy day.

* * *

The glass door entrance slid open, reacting to the first step made by the purple-haired man. Drenched by the rain, the guards looked at him in a bewildered look, wondering what was going on.

"Having a bad day, sir?" the guard asked.

"Not really," Gakupo smiled as he entered the room. Looking at the enormous lobby that caught his attention, he looked at the guard again and answered politely. "Though I'd wish the rain would stop."

"It's one hell of a downpour, sir."

He walked away after hearing the guard's comment. Taking a left turn, he searched for the part where the lockers are located. One thing he needed was a change of dry clothes and a warm shower. After all, he needs to be presentable and charming before everyone, especially with women. Gakupo entered the locker room and readied to dry himself, giving a few minutes before jumping into the shower to prevent him from catching a cold.

"Now Kaito should be done with the shopping," he said to himself. "Unless he's trapped under the rain."

* * *

Silence filled the room as the girl laid soundly on the bed. Kaito began to rummage through his wardrobe for clothes that would cover the young lady. So far, he was blushing madly after covering her with a blanket. Her clothes are already on the dryer, hoping that ti would be done before she wakes up.

"Kaito, calm down." he mumbled to himself, "You're getting the beautiful lady some clothes. No harm done."

Having found a long-sleeved shirt and some shorts on the pile, he sighed as he carried the folded bunch towards the bed. With his eyes going up and down on her sleeping, blanketed form, he began to smirk at how-hold it right there.

_Resist temptation, Kaito._

He sighed after mentally slapping himself. Reluctantly, he sat beside her and slowly brought his hand on the hem of the blanket. His pulse began to rise. He knows his only intention is to clothe her. Then again, her skin is so fair and milky. Not to mention her hair had an aquamarine glaze to it. She's pretty, totally irresistable. Wait, what happened to resist temptation?

What the hell.

Kaito reached for the blanket and swept it aside, shirt now on his other hand. He was about to get started with his work until...

He was staring before a pair of teal pools. His azure eyes blinked for a moment, taking in the sparkle of it. What a minute? Teal eyes...?

_Oh, hell no!_

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

* * *

She stared at the image of the city, leaning on the table as she watched how the drops roll over the glass surface of the windows. It calmed her, occupying much of her boredom as minutes passed. For some reason, the agent was taking quite a while to get to her location. Her silver hair flowed down on her back in a ponytail, contrasting her gray blouse. Her lavender tie was placed neatly, making it presentable for her uniform. Coupled with her slacks of the same gray shade, this appearance is how she is at work. From the look on her face, she isn't liking how boredome is dragging her.

"I wonder what's taking him so long?" she thought aloud as she brought a finger to play around with the surface of the disk case.

The door slid open, making the woman turn and smile a bit. Walking inside her office was the person she was waiting for. The man was dressed in a suit, sans the necktie as the collar of the gray dress shirt was loose. A ponytail held his purple hair neatly, strands framing the sides of his face. Wearing a courteous smile, he gave out his apology.

"Pardon me for my tardiness, Miss Yowane." he said gently as he approached her desk. "I cannot present myself in an unpleasant manner, especially if I am fresh from a mission."

The gentle tone of his voice made her skip a bit. It sounded smooth for her that it made her react differently.

"N-no problem, Mr. Kamui." she stammered. "And please, call me Haku."

"Very well, Haku." he answered as he leaned forward, hands planted on the table surface. His face was a bit close that she could smell the fragrance he wore on that day. Haku blushed a bit as he looked at him. "Can I ask you something, if you will?"

She couldn't figure out what else to do at this distance. She can't help notice how strands of his purple hair cover his eye or how handsome he looked up close. A flush of pink tinted her cheeks as she struggled to find words to answer with. "Uh...sure, go ahead."

_He's to close...why is my heart beating fast...?_

"Well then..." his voice nearly at a hush, he brought his hand to crawl a bit. His fingers brushed against hers as he felt for the disk. This made her jump a bit as he smiled and slowly moved his lips. "What does the Commander have for the three of us? Is...it...hard...?"

She's struggling with composure for a bit although for some reason, she is getting carried away with her answer. "H-he...trusts you...to get the job done...n-nothing fails...under your watch..."

"I see." Gakupo smiled as he pulled back. Putting his hands back on his side, with the left inside the pocket of his trousers, he looked at her and gave a sincere smile. "You need to breathe a bit, Haku."

Haku gave a sigh as she handed the disk over to him. Flustered at what happened, she composed herself and answered quietly. "Here, take this. It has all the information you need about the mission."

"Thank you." the purple-haired gentleman smiled as he placed the disk into his pocket. He started to walk away from the office and reached the door. Upon opening it, he paused and looked back.

"By the way, Haku. You seem to look beautiful today."

The door closed behind him, leaving a flushed and surprised Haku Yowane in the office. A small smile crept her lips, making her utter something under her breath that no one needed to hear.

* * *

Frantic screaming.

It was one of the things that filled the room, the other being excuses explaining one's self. Kaito hated this situation. It took him a while to calm her down, having to suffer with a pair of cheeks red with her painful slaps. Fortunately, Kaito managed to explain his case, that he wanted to give her a fresh set of clothes because the ones she wore were soaked and are being dried elsewhere. That did calm her down a bit and he had to turn around, not wanting to peek while she changed.

The screaming won't be filling the house just yet. But when she asked if he saw anything and Kaito didn't answer, that's when she screamed again. Now that caught Len's attention.

"Kaito, what's with that noise." Len shouted as his head peered out of the door. His expression of annoyance soon changed after seeing Kaito with a red face. He couldn't help but stifle a laugh. "What happened to you?"

"Len, I need help here." Kaito answered with a groan, "I'm trying to tell her that I didn't do anything to her. Not at all. Not even kidnap her or anything."

"HE BROUGHT ME INTO HIS ROOM AND I SAW HIM PULL OFF THE-"

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! JUST GET YOU SOME CLOTHES!"

"STOP IT!"

The two stopped shouting as Len heaved a bit. He entered the room and shook his head. If anything, the part about the Accidental Pervert happens at its worst when it's Kaito.

"Alright. Miss, I know Kaito as much like a brother. " Len dryly spoke as he sat down. "He may not look like it, but he's trying to help you."

He paused for a bit, reminded of another thing. "By the way, how did you find her."

"Long story short, I was heading out to buy some groceries. When I was about to get there, someone bumped into me. I fell to the ground and there she was on top of me, unconscious. I tried to wake her up but nothing happened so, I brought her here." Kaito answered directly. He looked at the girl and shook his head. "I haven't figured out why you were like this but we'll do that later."

The sound of a growling stomach caught the attention of the group. Kaito looked at Len with a tilted head.

"Do we have enough for four people?" he asked as Len responded with a nod. He turned to the woman and extended his hand, forgetting the shock of the slaps on his face. "Well, let's eat first. By the way, I'm Kaito and the boy here is Len. What's your name?"

"M-Miku." she answered shyly as she reached for his hand and rose from the bed.

Len shook his head and left the room first, mumbling to himself.

"Kamui-san's gonna have a fit after this."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Well, there's the first chapter. I'll be working on version two and the second chapter right away. It might take long but I'll get it up.

Another note, leave a review. It'll help if you do so.


	2. Wait, She's the WHAT?

**VanaN'Ice: ParaNorm Smile "Joker"**

Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid. Just the story

A/N: Here's the second chapter. This one gave me a hard time making with the struggle of putting which idea first. Anyway, let's enjoy this one. Here's chapter two.

**Case 2: Wait, she's the WHAT?**

"Teto, I appreciate you driving me home like this." Gakupo said with a grateful tone. He was seated on the back, close to the window on the right side. He looked at he through the rearview window, showing the cute redhead's eyes through the reflection. "I hope this isn't too imposing for you."

The girl smiled as she kept driving, keeping her eyes on the road. "Well, anything we do for our agents. This is part of our services."

"Thank you." Gakupo chuckled as he looked at the window and watched the sidewalk.

This situation was just like old times. He and Teto were friends since high school, along with her brother Ted and his roommate Kaito. They have this habit of walking their companions home after the day is over, usually after school and such. This was no different. A peculiar thing (in a good sense) about Teto is that she still looks the same from the time they were still high schoolers. It's as if she found the fountain of youth, much to her dismay.

"Say Teto."

"Hm?"

"Have you found someone yet?" Gakupo asked calmly.

"If it's about a boyfriend, no, I haven't." She flatly answered. "I don't bother with it anyway."

He chuckled after hearing that. Time hasn't changed that much, and Gakupo didn't dare to ask her out for one good reason. Never date your buddy's sister.

"Well, trust me. I can be sure there are guys who are after your type." Gakupo casually stated. The car stopped soon after, making him look outside and nodded. "Well, looks like I'll see you at work then."

"Sure thing." she answered cheerfully as he stepped out of the car and walked away, umbrella shielding him from the rain.

* * *

"Ok guys, I'm home." Gakupo loudly said after removing his shoes and laying it on the rack before continuing. Usually, he would be greeted by either Len or Kaito. This wasn't the case though. Wondering why, he walked through the living area.

_No one's here? _He thought as he looked about. He tried going to the dining area.

"Hey guys we have a-" he was cut off with the sight of Kaito, Len and a girl eating supper. From the looks of the meal, it was soup with bread on the side. He paused. A girl is in the house without his knowledge, not to mention wearing what seemed to be Kaito's shirt. He looked at the two lads, giving a glare that demanded answer. "Kaito, Len, wha-"

"Wait, Kamui-san," Kaito stood up with a flustered look, "I can explain..."

"Objection overruled." Gakupo interrupted him with and arm perched on his waist. Kaito was left with a gaping mouth while Len looked at the purple-haired man with a languid expression. "First off, drop the honorifics when it's just us three. Second, I told you about bringing a girl to the house. Len, tell me what's going on here."

"Well, he came here, carrying her while she was unconscious." Len answered as Gakupo gave a glare at Kaito.

"You kidnapped the girl?" he dryly asked.

"I DIDN'T KIDNAP HER!" Kaito shouted as he flailed his arms around, his face as white as a sheet. "I was heading out to get some groceries when she bumped into me and we fell to the ground. She was unconscious for some reason and I can't leave her behind like that. So I brought her home, tried to change her clothes so she won't catch a cold. Then, she screamed and slapped me around because she thought I was going to do something to her. I only intended to get dressed with fresh clothes. I'm trying to help her out, I swear."

Gakupo eyed the girl and then back at Kaito. "Fine. No comment on this one." He took a seat by the table and joined them, his expression softening to a gentler look. "You did the right thing, not letting her stay knocked out in the middle of the street."

Kaito sighed in relief with that particular statement.

"However, you didn't do what you're assigned to do and didn't inform me about this. I won't put you off the hook just yet." The mention of that made Kaito twitch like a nervous squirrel. "We'll talk about your punishment later."

The girl watched the whole event with a loaf of bread placed on her mouth. The bewildered look caught Gakupo's attention.

"Pardon us about that." He said with a calm tone. "And forgive the actions of this fellow over here. By the way, my name is Gakupo. I presume you know Len and Kaito already. May I know your name, miss?"

"I'm Miku." She answered with a smile and a more jolly tune. Kaito noticed that she is getting comfortable with their company now. She took a glance of the three lads before bowing. "I'm sorry about earlier."

"It's alright, everything's fine now." Kaito answered with a smile, his hand making a motion to dismiss the ruckus.

"Like you're the one to talk, Kaito." Len deadpanned, bread still caught in his mouth.

"You're our guest so make yourself comfortable." Gakupo flashed a cool smile, the signature that Kaito and Len recognize as his "dazzling makes-girls-swoon-over smile". The purple-haired man suddenly changed his topic. "By the way, Len, bring out the laptop and set it up on the living area when you're done."

"Why?" Len asked. "What's up with it?"

Gakupo raised his hand, showing a disk clutched between his index and middle fingers. "We have a job request."

* * *

Rustling, dancing before the grasp of adept hands as each card from the deck was being shuffled. A twisted smile marked the stranger's face, covering the eyes with a mask as the overhead lamp illuminated the table directly. After a few times, ten cards were set on the table, lined up and face down. Concealed eyes looked over the other side of the table with an inviting look.

"Now then, let's play a game." The voice spoke as it brought a pale hand to put the offer in a gesture. "Name your wager, and we will play."

A woman smiled as she took the hand offered to her, eyes already glazed over. The game was already set with one outcome, nigh impossible to change.

"Of course, Joker."

* * *

"Miku, the bath's ready." Len's voice boomed from the corridor.

"Bath?" The young lady turned around quizzically while she was curled on one of the couches. She didn't remember asking for a bath or anything. It was then that Kaito interrupted as he carried the dishes to the sink.

"Well, it's something most of us here do after getting soaked in the rain."

"What for?"

"To prevent yourself from getting a cold later on." Gakupo answered as he sat down on another couch. He was holding the disk that he brought with him. Setting the case on the coffee table beside the laptop, he looked at Miku with a calm expression as he began to explain. "It helps regulate your temperature and feel fresh at the same time. Since you've been dried up moments ago, I guess it's time to take a nice, warm bath."

Miku simply nodded, though finding the note peculiar. Len joined them in the room, standing behind the sofa where Gakupo was.

"Not to mention your clothes are dry and good to go. It'd be a good time to change into those."

"Ok," Miku chirped as she got up and started walking. She paused for a moment and looked at the boys in the room. "Uh, well..."

"If it's about a towel, you can use mine." Kaito stated in the background. This made heads turn to him. He could feel their stares as he twitched. "What? I have spares stashed in my room. Trust me, they're fresh."

The stares were still at him. This time, Kaito turned around, flicking his hands to rid it of the drops of water. "I'll even get them and hand it to her right now, if that's what you're also wondering."

"Why do I have a feeling he's asking for more trouble?" Len mumbled with a sweatdrop.

"Don't ask me why." Gakupo answered with a sigh.

He brought his attention to the laptop and opened the clear plastic case. Len, on the other hand, watched Kaito as he dashed to his room (presumably done with his work on the dishwashing). Miku stood by the bathroom door, waiting as Kaito reappeared and handed a fresh blue towel to her with a smile. She nodded, mouthing a 'thank you' before entering the bathroom and taking a bath.

Gakupo slid the disk into the drive of the computer, waiting for the machine to load and process the data. He felt the couch shift a bit as the two joined him.

"What could the mission be this time?" Kaito asked.

"That's what we're here to find out." Gakupo laid back and brought his legs to cross, right leg resting on his left knee.

The screen started up and a video transmission began to play. It showed an office, the view on the windows revealed to be underwater scenery. The leather chair held a silhouette of a person, probably the chairman. It was here that the program made its work.

"Gentlemen, your reputation is renowned in terms of accomplishing the task given without any fail, especially when the three of you are together. Normally, this task would require other agents to take but this situation requires the combined expertise of you three."

"Is this a difficult mission?" Kaito mumbled.

"I'd like you to work as bodyguards for a certain client."

"Great." Len sighed, leaning back with exasperation. "A babysitting mission."

"I don't think that's the case." Gakupo interrupted as he continued listening.

"This client is an important one and the circumstances are dire. She is being chased by an entity known to us as Joker."

The blond boy gave a mere sigh while the purple-haired gentleman looked at the other two. Kaito held a bewildered expression, smeared with shock upon hearing the name.

"Something wrong?" Len asked as he looked at Kaito.

He said nothing, only shaking his head as the clip continued and the group shifted their attention back to the computer.

"Your client is..." the display flashed as it revealed a number of pictures. A girl with teal hair in pigtails, wearing a gray short-sleeved blouse and skirt ensemble with a green necktie to accent it. The group ended up with gasps.

"Hatsune Miku."

"THAT GIRL?"

* * *

The rain had stopped yet the clouds lingered, covering the sky with gloom. By that time, dusk had fallen and lamps began to light the way. People find this a good opportunity to fold the umbrellas and walk on without getting wet. Among by passers, a young woman ran through the sidewalks in panic. Frantic, fear-driven with hysteria, she ran. At time she looked back to see if her pursuer was there.

She didn't bother to care, instinct drowning every reaction. Taking a turn, she began to run through a maze of avenues and alleyways, hoping to lose her pursuer.

Finally, she stopped at a dead end, covered with buildings similar to the backstreets. Haggard breaths were heard, the sound of her pounding heart rang in her ears. She hoped that she was able to escape the reason of her paranoia.

A familiar chuckle filled the air. Her eyes dilated with shock.

"Running away from me?" the voice sounded with a mocking tone. "We're not yet finished playing the game."

She looked up and saw the face with a silk mask covering its eyes of amber. It glowered with malice as a twisted grin curved its lips. The masked figure raised its gloved hand, aiming the gun on her head. If prayers were to be raised, now is the time.

"Since you lost the game," the stranger pulled the hammer as it paused. "I think I'll take _that_ away from you."

She gasped, finding herself trapped to this fate. No options, no escape, only despair. She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Then a loud bang ended it.

* * *

"I think that's about it." Kaito sighed as he walked out of the convenience store. On one hand was a bag filled with groceries and supplies while the other had a shopping list.

"Well, I think this isn't a bad punishment." Miku chirped with glee. For some circumstances, she had to tag along with Kaito.

Looking back, the assignments Gakupo gave with regard to the mission seemed to lean towards maximum suffering for Kaito. He could not see why but he still remembers the whole spectacle.

* * *

_"Now that our client is here with us, let's get this into order." Gakupo started with a serious tone._

_Miku had joined them, after taking a bath and getting changed. She didn't seem to have caught the 'client' part but she sat down and listened._

_"Len, I'd like you to get the data and make a cross analysis using the Logic Machine." Len looked at Gakupo and nodded at the older man's command. "Is there any way for you to access it when you're on field?"_

_"I'll try to find a way to it." the blond lad answered._

_"Good. I'll do my end of the investigation, ask my informants for anything." Gakupo turned to Kaito and spoke. "As for you..."_

_"Eh? What about me?" the cobalt-haired youth asked, noticing the glare shot at him._

_"You'll be staying with the client."_

_Kaito ended up being frozen with a gaping mouth. Miku looked at the three and tilted her head._

_"So, I can go?"_

_"Miku, due to the situation, you'll need a bodyguard." Gakupo pointed at Kaito and smirked. "He's your bodyguard."_

_"I'M THE CLIENT! NO FRIGGIN WAY!"_

_"Yes, you are." the purple-haired man said as he rose from his seat. "Now time to get working."_

_

* * *

_

_Why me? _Kaito sighed as he looked at her. "Well, since we're stuck with each other, might as well make it worthwhile."

Miku looked at him, her hand tugging at his blue scarf.

"Something wrong?"

"Uh, thanks for helping me." she said shyly.

"It's no biggie." he said as his expression brightened. "Let's go home-"

BANG!

The pair turned their heads towards the alley. Miku, taken over by curiosity, simply darted towards the alleyway without a word. Kaito followed right away, duty prevailing.

They neared the alleyway. From the shadows, something limped out into the bright light of the lamppost. The pair halted right away, finding that these wierd figures walked out, slouched and limping. The black bodies they bore and the cracks found on its surface seemed to tell Kaito this isn't normal. The white masks that acted like faces bore an expression of anguish. It was dreadful.

Miku staggered back, fear triggering her to stay away. It's coming back to her. The vague images in her head, the memory of running away, it replayed. Her heart began to pound. Her mind raced.

She screamed.

* * *

**Rant Corner:**

Well, in lieu of following the same template as Paranoid Doll: Renunciation, I'm naming this the Rant Corner.

First order of business, I was trying to figure out how this is going to appear. I'm not sure if the humor came out well but I'm having fun writing this.

Well, now some of you are wondering what the Logic Machine is. I'll reveal more of what that is later on, but to give you a basic idea, it's Len's special thing. Note that the three guys have special abilites. Gakupo can fight like crazy, as shown in the previous chapter. With Kaito, you'll have to wait for the next update.

By the way, do check out Paranoid Doll: Renunciation.

And of course, leave a review and tell me what you think of this one. It drives me to write more. See you next time.

Sydney Grise


	3. Awesome, Fire, Rock Band?

**VanaN'Ice: ParaNorm Smile "Joker"**

_Disclaimer: Vocaloid belongs to Yamaha. I only own the concept and the plot of this fic. Nothing more._

_A/N: To start, it's been a long time since I updated this story. Sincerest apologies with the really long delay but I'll explain more after this. Right now, I hope you enjoy this addition._

**Case 3: Awesome, Fire, Rock Band?**

She screamed.

Kaito shot a glare at these strange figures. Of all the times that they had to appear, it had to be this moment. After all this trouble that day, these monsters appeared. He was having a bad day, which is much of an understatement.

_I would jump in and fight right away..._ Kaito smirked as he clenched his fists. _But that would compromise Miku's safety. I better take her to somewhere safe._

"Miku."

"Yes?"

Kaito handed her the bags of groceries and pulled her close, letting her go behind him. "Take these and find a place to hide. Come out when it's safe."

"What about you?" Miku asked worriedly.

"I'll hold them off. Now go."

The tealette ran off after Kaito nudged her to move. She didn't look back until she ran into one of the shops. With the coast now quite clear (especially with the other people no longer present as they already fled), the azure-haired youth smirked as he took a stance and began to assess the situation.

"You really caught me in a bad day." he smirked as he reached for the inner fold of his coat. _Crap, I forgot the rest of my stuff at home._

If he was going to fight, he has to improvise with what he has. Kaito continued to search in his coat for anything, open to any attack.

* * *

A sliver of light pierced through the darkness of the room. This ray that sat at the very center of the room widened its range as it revealed Len's boyish frame hovering in a carefree state. His blond hair was loose as it fanned out due to the lack of gravity in the area while his body was clothed in a tight, gray bodysuit. A holographic disc appeared before Len, revealing a set of status commands.

**MEMORY BANK LOADED**

**LOADING DATA LIBRARY...COMPLETE**

**LOADING PARAMETERS...COMPLETE**

**SYNCHRONIZING USER INTERFACE...COMPLETE**

**LOGIC MACHINE ONLINE**

**WELCOME, LEN KAGAMINE**

The boy opened his eyes as he brought his body to go upright. Setting his hands to reach on different directions, holographic discs materialized as they served as his controls. A number of discs appeared at every direction, having tasks of their own from recording information and initiating searches and connections. Len noticed one of the displays as it showed Kaito currently in a predicament with the shadowy beings that appeared from the alley.

"Tch, that idiot," the blond grimaced as he watched, "He just had to be ambushed at a time like this."

Len looked carefully and noticed his hesitation, putting ends together with his judgment. Making sure that he was right, one of the displays hissed and initiated a scan on their residence. The scanners blinked with a positive on a set of items piled on his dresser. It was as he had expected.

"He forgot his equipment? Oh great, now he's gonna get killed unless I do something."

He began to key in a few commands before a disc flew in to him, activating its communicator function.

_"Gakupo here."_

"Kamui-san, Kaito's in trouble right now. He's gonna need some help."

_"We don't need to worry about it. He'll be fine."_

Len winced in hearing that from their squad leader. "Are you serious?"

_"Trust me, Kaito will pull through. He always does. To make you relax a bit, I'll go there and be on standby just in case. Send me his location."_

"Fine. I'll transmit it to your unit."

* * *

The handheld device began to display the coordinates where Kaito and Miku were located. Gakupo sighed as he looked on to the direction where it would roughly be.

"Better pull through or I'll have Meiko whip your sorry butt." he remarked jokingly as he started running through the street.

* * *

Kaito grimaced as he pulled out a device from his coat. It was a cylindrical piece shaped like a vial, scarlet in color, having a button on the top end while the button end had a circular receptacle. A sigh left his lips when he jumped back out of reflex, dodging an incoming attack from one of the creatures.

"It just had to be this one," the cobalt-haired lad remarked as he gripped the device. "I better make do with this then."

He rolled his left sleeve up to the elbow, baring his arm. There's no time to hesitate now that it has come to this. Kaito pressed the device to his wrist, exactly at the point where the blood vessel would be. He took a breath as he pressed the button. Lines began to spread outward from his wrist, having the semblance of a circuit: a bio-connector. Soon after, the device gained a bright aura as a voice prompt echoed.

_**Crimson Active!**_

The device began to dissolve as a carmine aura flared about his body. Flames were ignited as it enveloped him, making it appear that he was consumed by fire. The blaze raged on and with a whisk of the figure's hand, the flames were quenched. What stood before the enemy, at this point, was someone different.

The build and stature was still the same with Kaito, though this one was garbed differently. The black overcoat had its hem reach down above his heels with the shoulder and chest portions hold a blazing red color. The scarf was of a brighter shade, giving it a fiery appearance thanks to the tattered edges. His ruby eyes and auburn hair now accented the new persona that the man exuded. With a haughty grin, he cracked his knuckles with a chuckle.

"Get ready to burn." he said with sadistic fury as he charged at the enemy head-on.

* * *

"So, Akaito is already active." The young woman stated her observation as she watched the skirmish down the street from the rooftop. Her brown hair, shortened into a boy cut, danced in the wind freely.

"That's interesting." Her companion, a young man, answered her. His dark-shaded hair matched the color of his suit. Aligning his thin-framed glasses, he walked towards her location as he also gazed downward. "Looks like our victim is nearby."

The brunette furrowed her eyebrows as she crossed her arms together. The red top exposed her midriff while the miniskirt would accent her legs, complemented with leather knee-high boots and topped with a white fur coat that covered the crimson ensemble. The outfit brought him to smile at her.

"Meiko, smiling doesn't hurt. It makes you look cute." The man with the glasses jested with a chuckle. That earned him with a pout and a blushing face from her. "Hey, Cheer up and relax."

"What now, Kiyoteru?" Meiko asked as she lowered her arms, bringing the topic back to the issue at hand. "What's the plan?"

"What else? We help them, of course." Kiyoteru replied, "We'll do it our way."

* * *

The humanoid ended up being thrown back as a burning mass, combusting faster as if it was fueled with gasoline. This fiery persona of Kaito wore a haughty grin as he charged forward at them, taking the offensive as he rushed towards an incoming creature. His fist ignited as he punched with full force. The impact and the blaze caused the opponent to stagger. The redhead didn't stop as he continued pounding with punches from that same fist. He pulled back for momentum. With his leg tensing, he launched forward and delivered an uppercut, throwing the enemy airborne. However, the strike had something more as a pillar of fire ignited towards the creature's direction. The hapless body fell down as a burning, lifeless heap.

"Come on, who's next?" the redhead yelled as he provoked his opponents. "The Awesome Akaito will take you all on!"

The remaining dark figures rushed on for the attack, bladed arms at the ready to strike. Akaito snickered as he raised his hands, fingers curled as the air within his grasp ignited.

"My hotness is always at climax." He remarked as he whipped his hand forward. A burning wave rushed towards a group of four with their bodies catching fire. The blaze left nothing but ashes behind. Six of them rushed in from both sides, trying to catch Akaito in a pincer movement. The redhead snickered as he saw through the tactic. "That's getting old!"

Akaito tensed his legs and soon after, he jumped high. The height of the jump enabled the fighter to dodge the ambush. Flames were kindled upon his hands once more as he hurled a volley of fireballs downward. The barrage caught the group squarely as it made minute explosions by impact. The lad landed on a spot a few meters away from the inferno.

Soon, the fire died out and the remains of his enemies were reduced to ash. Akaito dusted his hands and brought a thumb to flick at his nose. He was victorious yet this didn't seem to cut it. The redhead was not satisfied.

"They don't stand a chance. If only there was more." Akaito pulled at the collar of his shirt, his fingers digging through his scarf in the process. "Anyone else up to challenge me?"

"I think that's enough, Akaito."

The auburn-haired lad stopped at the voice. He turned around and noticed a gentleman standing a number of paces behind him. The glasses that he wore gleamed before the flames that slowly lulled. Akaito scowled at him, annoyed at the fact that he is being told off by some stranger dressed in a business suit.

"Who the hell are you and how do you know my name?" he yelled in question as he clenched his fist, opening them again to give way to the flame covering his hand.

"It's easy to figure out when a person has good insight," he replied as his finger tapped on his temple. "Playtime's over. Time for you to go home."

"Well, tough luck with that." The redhead youth snickered as he charged forward, flaming hands poised to strike in a full frontal attack.

The bespectacled man sighed as he reached for his pocket. Clasped within his fingers was a card with strange symbols inscribed on its edges while the picture on the very center was that of a shattered mirror. For a brief moment, his eyes glowed in crimson. The card lit up with a silver aura, reacting to the energy that the gentleman was infusing to it. He was sure of one thing; it will take one move to decide the outcome.

"Silver Sign: 'Phantasm Break'," he said in an authoritative tone as he swung his hand forward. The card gave off an intense light as it vanished within the flash.

Akaito rushed forth with a punch. Misfortune, however, was swift as his flames were quelled and saw it vanish like glass breaking. It didn't take long before his clothes of black began to disintegrate, bringing back what the cobalt-haired lad was wearing. The last to change back was his hair color, shifting from red to blue. With the hot-blooded persona set to a dormant state, Kaito slumped forward and stumbled as he fell down face first. The gentleman moved with haste as he caught his unconscious body.

The task is complete.

The gentleman reached for his earpiece and pressed it, contacting his companion.

"Meiko, it's Kiyoteru. I've secured Kaito. We can return him to Gakupo's place."

"_Understood, Kiyoteru. We'll also proceed in picking up the client then."_

* * *

"Looks like we have to pick up that young lady who was with that idiot of yours," the brunette flatly noted as she slipped her hands inside the pockets of her white coat. Walking through the street, they were following the longhaired man's lead.

"Thanks for your help, Meiko." Gakupo said in gratitude as he made use of the directions that Len handed out to him. "We won't be able to do this without you."

"I should be thanking you for taking care of that idiot Kaito." Meiko replied with a smile. "At least your relationship with him is as good as family."

The pair halted as Gakupo spotted a pair of teal pigtails within a shop. He found it amusing that she chose this as her hiding place.

"Well, here she is," he chuckled as he turned to Meiko. "Are you sure you don't want to join us at our place?"

"Nah, it's fine. Kiyoteru will explain to you the other half of the situation. Besides, I have a lot of paperwork piling up on my desk."

Gakupo sighed at the thought of paperwork. He knew Meiko hated deskwork and pencil pushing. Being her former partner in a few missions back, he had to take the task of filing documents and reports after every mission given. Somehow, he noticed the changes.

"You better get going then," Gakupo answered as he saw her turn away and head towards the opposite direction. She replied with a wave of her hand without turning back. With that situation done, he went inside the shop.

* * *

"Miku."

The teal-haired girl turned to see someone that she knows, at least for a while. The purple hair was quite familiar for her. She smiled at him.

"Kamui-san."

"Let's go," Gakupo kindly offered her his hand, beckoning her to come with him.

"What about Kaito?" she asked with worry, seeing that he had stayed behind to keep those…monsters at bay.

"Don't worry. A good friend of ours helped him out," the purple-haired gentleman assured, "They should be home by now."

She breathed easy in relief, taking Gakupo's hand as they walked out of the shop.

The clerk watched them as they left. Somehow, he was scratching his head as he wondered what their relationship was. Left with his thoughts, he went back to the magazine he was reading.

* * *

It took them a few minutes to reassemble inside their flat. Gakupo and Kiyoteru were facing each other, taking separate couches for themselves with Len at one end of the long sofa near the dark-haired gentleman. Miku was seated at the center, leaving some space for Kaito to seat on when he wakes up. Noting how tense the situation is, Gakupo stood up and made his way towards the kitchen. It was only then that Kaito came out of his room.

"There you go, up and running." Kiyoteru said with a smile on his face. "Feeling better?"

Kaito grunted with a nod, rubbing the back of his head groggily and making neck exercises before taking a seat beside Miku. "What just happened back there?"

"Simply put, Akaito took over, did a good job in destroying those things before nearly going berserk if not for Kiyoteru over here." Gakupo replied as he brought some cookies, a pitcher of juice and five glasses on top of a tray. Placing it down the coffee table, he returned to his seat.

Miku was surprised while Kaito was caught with eyes as wide as saucers. He never thought this would be the result of his actions. Tense silence took over the whole room once more and Len was feeling rather choked with the whole thing.

"Anyway, the whole situation's been dealt with," the blond boy stated to break the tension, "Let's be thankful for that."

"Come to think of it," Kaito asked as he looked at the bespectacled gentleman, "What's he doing here?"

Kiyoteru smiled as he poured himself a glass of orange juice. "I'm here to assist with the case. We have been looking through this Joker case and somehow, we have some information that you might find useful."

"We?" Miku asked as she titled her head.

"He means him and Meiko," Gakupo answered. "They are from a different team in the Agency. Also, they are on our side."

"Oh."

Kiyoteru cleared his throat as he looked at Miku, scanning her features. "At any rate, we cannot let Ms. Hatsune stay here and remain under the radar. She is a pop idol and has an industry to work with."

Miku nodded as she looked at the other guys. Kaito was evidently at shock while Len perked up after hearing that fact. Gakupo was still nonchalant, pondering on their next action.

"If that's the case, how are we going to track Joker if she'll be working on her albums and tours then?" Len snapped back to reality upon realizing the situation. "It'll be hard to keep her safe and such."

"Then let me raise a suggestion." Kiyoteru noted as he adjusted his glasses.

Len gave his full attention, holding a glass of juice. Kaito was nibbling on a cookie and Gakupo was still listening with interest. Pregnant silence filled the room once again. Kiyoteru smirked and this made the trio wonder what he was thinking. Somehow, Kaito felt like it's going to be a bad idea.

"You will have to be with Miku…" Kiyoteru paused.

"Yes?" The trio was expectant with what came next.

"As…"

"YES?"

"A band."

Silence.

"I guess you didn't hear me clearly on that one." Kiyoteru sighed as he lowered his glass and set it on the table. "I said, you'll be joining her as a rock band going along with her on tours and such."

"Ah…" The trio nodded in unison as the understood the idea. "Wait, WHAT?"

Kiyoteru chuckled in amusement as he watched their reactions. Evidently, this idea was something they never thought of doing. Not even in a lifetime. Miku liked the idea as it had hit two birds in one stone.

"Well, let's get to know each other then." Miku said to them as she smiled. She came to a bow, leading them to confusion. "Please take care of me."

"Uh, sure." Kaito replied with a cough.

Gakupo rose from his seat, about to head off. Slipping off from the attention of Miku, Kaito and Len, he made his way towards the balcony at the back of their flat. Kiyoteru followed him soon after, leaving the trio behind with their chatter.

* * *

"So, I believe you were going to tell me something aside from that plan, Kiyoteru."

Gakupo started the conversation as he leaned on the railing with his elbows, facing the view of the city outside. It was already nighttime and this day proved to be quite long, having to deal with a lot moments after receiving this mission. Kiyoteru crossed his arms as he let his back lean against the railing, taking the corner for himself.

"Actually, there is."

"Go ahead and tell me," Gakupo urged as he remained in that position.

Kiyoteru knew that this would be a difficult topic to share to him but with Gakupo in charge of the trio, he had to share it anyway. It seemed that this was thin ice that he was treading on.

"This thing about Joker, I believe you're aware of what it is," he started as his voice now held a serious tone, "We thought that this entity would be some sort of serial killer or some high profile criminal running about carrying out a number of atrocities. With what Meiko and I found out about this, we came out with a different conclusion."

Gakupo noted how the bespectacled gentleman paused. He gave a nod, gesturing him to continue on.

"Well, in reality, Joker is a collective identity. It's quite short to call it an organization but I can tell you, with the way it acts, this is not run by one person. As much as their operations would go, there's something we've found out about."

"Do they have a pattern that they follow?" the lavender-haired gentleman asked.

"Yes. Judging from how the actions are done, it's as if they're playing a game. Not only that, there's also a wager involved."

Gakupo furrowed his eyebrows upon learning about this information. Kiyoteru, however, was not done as he continued.

"This is also not the reason why I came to you," he added, "It's about Kaito. Meiko trusts you with him and I think I can see why. However, you have to be really cautious about this."

This made the gentleman change his posture as he faced Kiyoteru. This had caught his full attention now that his teammate is involved.

"And why should I be vigilant?" Gakupo asked, his voice now stern.

"Joker may have their eyes on him as well. Exercise caution and be wary of anything going on."

Gakupo's lips have curled to a frown upon hearing that. He had questions in mind, demanding possible reasons to this. As much as he doesn't have answers to them yet, he noticed that there was another thing that's to be said.

"Also, that power that he used earlier."

"The Liquid Persona System?"

"Yes," Kiyoteru took that term to memory before continuing, "It is a two-edged sword and a wild card. If he ever he goes berserk, he can pose a threat to us all. Something has to be done with manners of controlling that sort of power. I'll leave that decision to you."

"Very well, I'll take note of that." Gakupo responded with a nod as he brought these things into heart. He already had thoughts of what to do with his teammates and how this mission is to be approached. With the suggestion given, he still had one question. "So, if I'm part of the band with those two with me, what does that make you?"

"Simple," Kiyoteru gave a clever grin as snapped his fingers, "I'll be the manager for the four of you."

"That's unfair." Gakupo turned away with a dry tone.

"Life's unfair. Get used to it," he chuckled with that reply.

* * *

**Author's Corner:**

Is it me or I've been changing this corner's name a lot? Don't ask me. After all, it's been long since I've updated any of my fanfics within this span of time. I wasn't able to put this update up due to a lot of things. The main reason is I got stuck with the storyline and I don't know where it would go from here. At any rate, I added a few other characters (thanks to the addition of Vocaloids that came to existence in such a span of time) and played out some roles. Now things are rolling.

I can't promise that I would update quickly but I _will _update them. This is just one among others. To those who read and gave reviews, thank you. If you've been waiting long for this, I hope you enjoy it. Not sure if I went a little to fast with the events but regardless, the story must progress.

Now I've showcased all the guys' abilities (well, sort of). Time I get started with the next one.

See you next time.

Sydney Grise


End file.
